A Song of Living

Amelia Josephine Burr

Because I have loved life,
I shall have no sorrow to die.
I have sent up my gladness on wings,
to be lost in the blue of the sky.
I have run and leaped with the rain,
I have taken the wind to my breast.
My cheek like a drowsy child
to the face of the earth I have pressed.
Because I have loved life,
I shall have no sorrow to die.

I have kissed young love on the lips,
I have heard his song to the end,
I have struck my hand like a seal
in the loyal hand of a friend.
I have known the peace of heaven,
the comfort of work done well.
I have longed for death in the darkness
and risen alive out of hell.
Because I have loved life,
I shall have no sorrow to die.

I gave a share of my soul to the world,
when and where my course is run.
I know that another shall finish the task
I surely must leave undone.
I know that no flower, nor flint
was in vain on the path I trod.
As one looks on a face through a window,
through life I have looked on God,
Because I have loved life,
I shall have no sorrow to die.

About This Poem

A Song of Living is a reflective poem by Amelia Josephine Burr, an American poet. It is often chosen as a funeral reading because it holds sorrow and gratitude side by side. The speaker looks back on a life fully lived, embracing nature, friendship, love, and the satisfaction of work done well, while also acknowledging darker times and hardship. The overall tone is uplifting and steady, offering reassurance that even difficult experiences can sit within a life of meaning.

This reading can be especially suitable for someone who was resilient, appreciative, and thoughtful, or for families who want a message of acceptance rather than despair. It can work well in a secular service, and it may also suit faith-led ceremonies because of its quiet spiritual thread, looking on God through the window of life. As a longer piece, it is well placed during the main reflection, allowing mourners time to pause, remember, and take comfort in the idea that a person’s contribution continues, even after they are gone.

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